WASHINGTON – Seven years on this Bulls beat, and it’s no contest on which three players have been a favorite to cover.
In no particular order: Mike Dunleavy Jr., Jimmy Butler, and Robin Lopez.
The common thread?
All three were as real as it gets, and if they told you something it was because they truly believed it.
So there sat Lopez Monday night, minutes after the 113-105 loss to the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden, talking about the playoffs for the Bulls in Year 3 of this rebuild.
“I genuinely do,’’ Lopez said, when asked if he really saw this group jumping up from a 21-win season in 2018-19, to finding at least 17-to-19 more wins by this time next year in order to realistically be a playoff contender.
And oh by the way, they won 27 games in Year 1 of the rebuild.
“Obviously you never want to blame injuries in this league,’’ Lopez said. “Those happen. But it took us awhile to get our core guys together, and just knowing how the season has felt the past couple months, the feeling in this locker room. This group could do some special things.’’
A group that Lopez – who will be a free agent this offseason – could very likely no longer be a part of. Still, he’s seen enough and heard enough throughout the second half of this season to just get that “gut feeling’’ something good is about to happen with Bulls basketball, with or without him.
“I think we’ve had … there’s just been a different feel around the locker room these past couple months,’’ Lopez said. “Sometimes you gotta go by that gut feeling.
“When things start to gel a little bit, players start to get that feeling like, ‘OK, I see our direction, I see what we need to do.’ ‘’
There’s also a certain leap of faith that Lopez is taking.
He acknowledged the February that Lauri Markkanen put together. A month in which Markkanen displayed All-Star talent by averaging 26 points and 12.2 rebounds per game. The October and March clinics that Zach LaVine put on, showing that he could be a lead guard/play-maker when called on.
Throw in the professionalism and shot-making of Otto Porter, the promise that rookie Wendell Carter Jr. displayed before his season was cut short with thumb surgery, and even what Kris Dunn displayed last season, closing out games in December and into January.
Now, it just has to all be thrown together at the same time, stay healthy, and see what cooks.
And don’t forget the Bulls have a high draft pick coming in June, with money to spend on a few veterans, including a point guard to possibly cover up Dunn’s inconsistencies.
But a playoff team by next year?
Brooklyn and Sacramento each jumped 11 games so far from last season, but that’s not a 17-game jump. Also factor in that the Eastern Conference is still not at the talent level as the West, but definitely made improvements in closing that gap.
Then there’s the wildcard teams.
The Knicks are all-in on this offseason, hoping to land a top draft pick by June – insert Zion Williamson here – and then already clearing cap room for two max stars come July – insert Kevin Durant and a Kyrie Irving here.
A huge reach in the Big Apple? Yes, but this is the NBA.
“A little bit, yeah,’’ Lopez said, when asked if he’s seeing a young Bulls locker room finally starting to show some hunger, even with all the injuries. “Like I said, I know this group could do some special things.’’
He’s trusting the gut.
